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Cutting the Costs of Living with Type 2 Diabetes

Living with type two diabetes can be expensive. Testing supplies, prescription drugs, and doctor’s visits all add up quickly. A patient might need a team of specialists to deal with their illness and various symptoms. However, there are several ways to cut those expenses and keep them to a minimum.

Make the most of Your Insurance Benefits

Insurance will not cover everything you need depending on the type of insurance you have and the extent of the plan coverage. However, you need to study your plan and make the most of your benefits.

Some employers even offer specific diabetes plans that help with these unique expenses. Just be sure you know what you are entitled to, making sure the costs don’t outweigh the benefits.

Ask for Samples

Drug companies and testing suppliers want people to use their products and for doctors to recommend them. To entice both, they often offer samples. These are things your doctor can give you for free until you see how much you like them. While there are maximum numbers for these giveaways, they can often get you through the time you need them while you prepare to pay for expenses yourself.

Use Coupons When Available

Even drugs like Januvia that do not have a generic equivalent often offer coupons for the same reasons they offer samples. They want you to use the product to control your diabetes. You can find Januvia coupons online, ask your doctor for them, or even ask your pharmacist.

You will also often find coupons for testing supplies and new testers various places as well. Use these coupons to save some money on the things you need every day.

Go Generic

While some drugs do not have a generic equivalent, others will, or there may be a similar drug you can use to achieve the same results. Search for these drug choices and ask your doctor what is available to you and to prescribe alternatives when possible.

The same is true of testing strips and other supplies. There are often large differences in price between certain brand names and their generic equivalents. If you can use insurance though, be sure they will cover the generic brands as well. However, if you are covering costs yourself, always opt for the lower priced choice as long as the quality is equivalent.

Attend Expos

Expos held by the ADA and other local services are a great place to pick up more samples of the products you use. Often both testing supplies and drug samples will be available, and you may gain some insight from someone there about your condition and how you can best manage it.

Explore the healthcare providers present here as well. You might find a better doctor or clinic than the one where you are being seen now.

Shop Around

It should simply make sense that you would not buy prescription drugs or testing strips without shopping around the same as you would for any other product or service. The same as you compare prices for peanut butter or tuna fish, you should also compare prices per use on testing products as well.

You should also compare healthcare providers. The difference between the cost of in-network and out of network care can be significant, along with the charges, especially if your insurance is paying a percentage rather than a flat copay.

Order Online

One of the other common ways to save on diabetic supplies is to order them online. There are a number of discount sites, including online pharmacies, that offer prescriptions and testing supplies at significant discounts off of the prices you will pay at brick and mortar stores. When you are shopping around, don’t forget Google and the internet.

Look for Prescription Assistance Programs

Many of the major drug companies have prescription assistance programs. If you cannot afford the medicine you need, they often offer discounts and reduced prescription rates. Often for these programs, you will need to verify your income or even enter into a study with the company, but the rates you get in exchange will be well worth the effort.

Avoid Waste

Be careful about the amount of supplies you order, so you are sure that you will use them by the time they expire. That way, you are not throwing away expensive prescriptions or other items. Only order what you need, be careful about preserving what you have so you are not wasting it. If you can, see if there are places you can exchange items that are about to expire for new ones. Sometimes clinics can use materials faster than you can.

Get Active

One of the best ways to mitigate the cost of dealing with Type 2 diabetes is to minimize symptoms by staying in shape and taking care of yourself. Getting active can mean that you don’t need as much medication, are testing less often, and do not have to schedule as many doctor visits.

All of these things help to lower the cost of dealing with your condition. Dealing with Type 2 diabetes can be really expensive, but by following these tips, you can cut those costs and use that money on something much more enjoyable. Do you have any tips for saving money on the cost of living with type 2 diabetes? Leave us a comment with your thoughts in the section below.

We have had people in our family with diabetes and it’s definitely not easy to deal with the constant medication that you need to buy. It’s pretty expensive and it would be nice to cut the costs as much as you can. I think a lot of people will appreciate these tips!

I was diabetic in pregnancy and it really does involve constant testing and monitoring. I found making sure I ate a diabetic appropriate diet really helped to keep my sugars stable. But it’s hard work.